Low-water safety device.



T. W. KLOMAN. E'ow WATER SAFETY DEVICE.

APPLICATION FILED 1AN.2519!8.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

INVENTO R ATTORNEY THEODORE W. KLOMAN, OF PARK RIDGE, NEW JERSEY.

Low-WATER SAFETY DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 8, 1918.

Application filed January 25, 1918. y Serial No. 213,708.

To all w hom t may concern:

Be it known that LTHEoDoRn W. Kronen, a citizen of the United States, residing at Park Ridge, in the county of Bergen and Sta-te of New Jersey, have invented a Certain new and useful Improvementin Low-Water Safety Devices, of which the following is specilicution.

The invention relates to devices used with water-cooled internal con'ibustion engines` for indicating the lessening of the volume of water, by evaporation or otherwise, to a dangerous extent, and the object ot the invention is to provide simple, inexpensive, electrically operated means adapted to act auton'iaticallyT and positively to stop the en gine when the water level falls below a predetern'iined point and thus give an unmistakable signal that the water supply mus be replenished, and a further object is to provide means by which the operator may again start the engine and permit it to run temporarily in the dangerous condition until an additional supply can be obtained.

The invention consists in certain novel. fea tures, and details ol construction and arrangement, by which the above objects are attained, to be hereinafter described and claimed.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification and show two approved forms of the invention.

Figure 1 is a side elevation of an internal combustion automobile engine, equipped with a preferred form of the invention, in which the water itself serves as a portion oi? the electric circuit controlling the operation of the motor. i

Figf is an elevation of the same device on a larger scale, with the immediately atb jacent portions of the water system shown in vertical section. v

Fig. 8 is a diagram showing a portion of the wiring and apparatus for an automobile, and the relation of such preferred device to one of the circuits.

l Fig. 4 is an elevation and vertical sect-ion, similar to Fig. 2 but showing a modication in which the circuit is broken by the descent of a float moved by Changes in thel water level in the cooling system.

Fig. 5 is a diagram similar to Fig. 3, showing the relation of such float device to one of the circuits.

fiiniilar letters of reference parts in all the figures.

i d cate. like i is the engine of an automobile, B the radiator, and C the elevated return-pipe for .water circulated by a pump orvotherwise,

through the water jackets, radiator and other parte of the cooling system.

D is a screw plug which maybe understood as similar in construction to a spark plug of the usual type, having electrodes M1 M2 of dish form, insulated from each other and separated to produce a considerable gap,

connected. one, M1, to the binding-post D1 cooling system at the level selected as thev danger line below which it unsafe to permit the water to t'all while the motor is to be run, and by connecting` the plug in the ignitionor other active circuit of the electric system controlling the motor, the current will pass practically unobstructedly from one ot theieleotrodes to the other so long as 'they are submerged, the water servingby its conductivity to bridge the gap, but when the water level falls below the electrodes and exposes the gap, the current will yno longer pass, due to the resistance offered by the air, and the circuit is thus broken and the engine automatically stopped.

The plug D may be located as shown, in a stand-.pipe E i'nounted on the return-pipe C, having a cap El in which is a small orifice, r2 -tor the admission of air, and the plug is preferably connected in the ground line l?, as indicated in Fig 3. F1 is a switch in the same line', between the electrodes, located conveniently to the hand of the operator, by which the ground line may be again oompleted when broken b v the tall of water level, and the ear thus operated and driven to a place of safety at which an' additional supply of water may be obtained.

ln the device shown in Fig. 4 a similar stand-pipo l-l is employed` containing a float N connected by a rod N1 to au arm oi a lever N2 pivotally mounted on the cap H1. The other arm im carries l a wedgebloclc N* adapted to lill the gap between the two scparated electrodes 1 .l2 and maintain the circuit while the float is forced upward by its buoyancy, and to withdraw the block and break the circuit when the water level falls sutliciently to permit the float to descend by gravity.

This arrangementI may be preferably in some situations and is shown as connected.

for service in the high tension line J, as indicated in Fig. As in the form first described. a switch J3 is introduced by which the line may be again completed when broken by the descent ot' the float.

In both forms the switch is open when the device is in condition for service, and is closed only after the device has stopped the motor, to permit the car to be moved to avoid accidents until the water supply may be replenished.

I claim l. ln a motor controlled by an electric circuit, and having a cooling system employing water as the cooling agent, the combination therewith of connections tor including such water in such circuit, and an elec'- trode included in such circuitl and adapted when submerged iu such water to permit the passage ot current through such water to complete such circuit. and to break such circuit b'v the `up formed between such electrode aud Such water when said electrode is exposed by a fall ot water level l'n said c001- such system and included ir. .such circuit,

said electrodes adapted when submerged to permit the passage ot' current from one to thc other through the water, andwhen exposed b'v the fall ot water level, to present a gap sutlicient to prevent, the passage of such current.

3. In a motor controlled b v an electric circuit'` a cooling s vstem employing water as a cooling agent, in combination with a plug having separated electrodes extending into such system and included in such circuit, said electrodes adapted when submerged to permit the passage ot currentfrom one to the other through the water, and when exposed b v the tall of water level, to present a gap sutlicient to prevent the passage of such current` and a switch for again completing such circuit when thus broken.

ln testimony 4\at l claim the invention above set forth l alhx my signature, in prescnce ot' two \\'itnesses.

'ruuonoiuc w. KLOMAN. 

